Scripture Verse

There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Luke 2:8–9

Introduction

Words: From Folk Songs of the Am­er­ican Ne­gro, by John W. Work, Jr. (Nash­ville, Ten­nes­see: 1907).

Music: Af­ri­can-Am­er­ican spi­rit­ual (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
John W. Work, Jr.
1873–1925

Lyrics

Refrain

Go, tell it on the moun­tain,
Over the hills and ev­ery­where
Go, tell it on the moun­tain,
That Je­sus Christ is born.

While shep­herds kept their watch­ing
O’er si­lent flocks by night
Behold through­out the hea­vens
There shone a ho­ly light.

Refrain

The shep­herds feared and trem­bled,
When lo! above the earth,
Rang out the an­gel cho­rus
That hailed the Sav­ior’s birth.

Refrain

Down in a low­ly man­ger
The hum­ble Christ was born
And God sent us sal­va­tion
That bless­èd Christ­mas morn.

Refrain